Paula Cidraque Mayné

As a teen, I realized how much I enjoyed visual art, both the creation and appreciation of such in my free time. Therefore, I looked for a study which gave me the opportunity to study academically the art world and put it into practice as well. Additionally, I wanted to meet people who would like to be involved in similar activities as me, as well as be in an academic environment which motivates me to research and be enthusiastic with my study.

There are always cultural events happening for all tastes in Rotterdam

I finished my last two years of high school in the Netherlands, which made me start looking for universities here. I was looking for an art related bachelor which covered my academic ambitions, both IBACS as a programme and Rotterdam as a city looked like a very attractive opportunity for me. The city is big enough to find the right amount of variety, but also not too big to the extent that you feel like you will never get to know it fully. Additionally, there are always cultural events happening for all tastes.

During my first year, I got to learn about different perspectives of the art world including history, sociology, economics and media, making me realized what was that I enjoyed most and would like to pursue further in my studies. Additionally, I was involved in extracurriculars, such as the EXPO committee from the Faculty Association, which allowed me to learn about the art world physically and made my university studies more meaningful to me.